Buying the right furniture for your staff
No two people are the same, so why should we treat them as such?
In the workplace we are all treated exactly the same regardless of circumstance and regardless of who we are. In the office every table and chair are the same, we work the same hours and are given the same amount of breaks no matter what work we do. Really, if someone is sitting at a computer all day they need more breaks than someone who is working outside or in a shop. It is because they are built differently, carrying out different tasks, and have different needs.
In the modern world, more and more of the population are overweight. Whether a little or a lot, waistlines are definitely expanding. More of us are technically overweight, and that means that there is some changes which will need to be made to the furniture we have in and around the office if we want everyone to be comfortable. Chairs for overweight guys are coming onto the market, and it is important to know when it’s appropriate to use different furniture.
It can be a difficult topic to broach, but it’s much more uncomfortable to sit in a chair which cannot support your weight. Make sure your staff know that you are happy to supply the equipment they need, and that you are not making a judgement, merely trying to help out. While you might not want to say to someone that you think they might need chairs for overweight guys rather than the standard office equipment, in the long run they will appreciate that you are providing the equipment that they need.
Chairs for overweight guys do not need to look any different than normal seats, which makes it much less awkward if you need to supply them. Simply have a quiet conversation when you are doing all the usual getting started administration and ask about whether your staff have any special requirements, and at this point you should point out that you can provide any supplies needed to make it a more comfortable place for them to work.
There are lots of ways you can adapt a room for people of different builds. You might need a high contrast screen for someone with visual difficulties, a footrest for someone who is slightly shorter, or chairs for overweight guys if someone is a little heavier or a bit taller than the usual seats can cope with.
Joseph works for Norwich based Lockwood Hume. They offer a huge range of office furniture, office supplies, chairs for overweight guys – providing stationary and furniture for home offices, corporate businesses and retail environments.